Don't Leave Me
by moxymike
Summary: After beating Tartarus, Fairy Tail disbands. Levy finds her way back to Magnolia after setting out into the world, searching for the feelings she left behind. All she finds in the once familiar place, though, is loneliness. That is, until a wounded exceed and his dragonslayer stumble up to her doorstep. After nursing them back to health, the black haired mage seeks to repay her...
1. All That Remains

*** Note ***

 _This fanfiction is based off the manga/anime series Fairy Tail by Hiro Mashima but is not actually associated with or reflective of any plot elements from the series. Beware of spoilers._

This is my second Fairy Tail fanfiction. I also have a NaLu fanfiction, from Lucy's perspective, that I am currently working on called _Dragon Tamer_. These two fanfictions all exist in the same universe, though this one starts off a few years before the NaLu fanfic) and will soon be joined by a Gruvia fanfiction from Gray's perspective. It was also suggested that I make a fanfiction from Natsu's perspective, which I may consider as well. I've decided to do this fanfiction in third person per request. Bear with me on the publishing of these chapters. NaLu is my OTP so that will be priority, but this is still one of my stronger ships. I'm still in the process of watching the anime/ reading the manga so sorry for anything that isn't canon, I'll probably go back and change it once I catch up. The pairings throughout will not necessarily be canon, though. Some will be semi-canon, some I saw a fanfiction or fanart once and can't not ship it.

*** Chapter 1 ***

 _I let out a soft sound as his lips moved over my skin, trailing down my body towards my core._

" _Gajeel," I gasped as he found it, his hands and tongue making me feel like I had never imagined. My hips bucked beneath him, grinding against him. I felt the heat building inside of me as I grew closer and closer to that beautiful release._

Levy woke with a jerk, her entire body hot and sweaty. She glanced over at her clock. _7am_. _No use trying to go back to sleep after that_ , she sighed to herself and sat up in her bed. She rubbed her eyes and ran her fingers through her wild blue hair. It had been a while since she had seen the black haired dragonslayer, but he was never far from her thoughts. She stretched before hopping out of her bed. She gathered her shower things before making her way to the bathing room. While the guild had been destroyed, she was thankful the dorms were left untouched. If she had to replace her library again… the thought sparked a fire of quick rage in her. It disappeared as soon as she climbed under the steamy water, though. She would have preferred a bath but didn't have the patience for it.

The dorms were eerily quiet around her. Few people had stuck around, though most left their belongings in case they planned to return. _None of us chose to erase our guild marks either_ , she noted. Even if it had no true meaning anymore, it represented a past they never wanted to forget. She wondered if that was truly the end of that period of her life. She hoped not. It had been nice to take a break from everything. She had left for a couple weeks once the guild first disbanded, visiting various libraries and picking up some miscellaneous jobs with Jet and Droy, but Magnolia called her back. She tried to tell herself it was not due to a certain dragonslayer who still frequented these parts. However, now she wanted the stability of the guild back. She could always seek out another guild, but nothing would satisfy her quite like the company of Fairy Tail.

So now she was alone. Well, not completely alone. Wendy returned to the guild often, and Lucy still lived in Magnolia. The celestial spirit mage seemed quiet distant, though. Levy knew she had felt abandoned by Natsu but hadn't expected his absence to affect her friend so intensely. Levy tried to motivate her to do something, but Lucy had spent most of the last couple months hiding away in her house writing. When Levy was incredibly bored, she would visit the blond haired mage to read what she had written and provide feedback. However, Lucy had been particularly focused on writing romance, which only served to remind Levy how miserable and lonely she was. Jet and Droy had stuck around for a week or so but decided to visit some of their relatives. They had hoped to show off the bluenette, but she had refused their offer to accompany them. Laxus had shown up a few times as well, asking about Mirajane, which had thrown Levy for a loop, but she had no idea where the three siblings had headed off to.

She had been around to greet Gildarts, who had heard rumors but was still shocked to find the guild hall in smithereens and the guild disbanded. He had inquired about Cana, who, while still having her main housing in the dorms, had been bed and bar bouncing throughout Fiore. Levy just told him she was traveling but probably would return soon. He had stuck around for a few days to hear the stories of what had happened to the guild, expressing his pride at the guild reaching number one once again, though it was a meaningless sentiment now, and his disappointment at missing all the action. He left soon after to seek out Cana and some of the others. Levy almost felt like the guild's secretary. She would collect, read, and answer the guild mail, much of which included requests for those who hadn't been caught up on the latest news, updates from the previous members of the guild about their whereabouts and activities, and a request from the Ten Wizard Saints for Makarov to reboot the magic council.

Makarov hadn't been there when Levy had returned from her adventure, but he had left a note that he was off vacationing with Porlyusica, which made Levy smile. Erza had been around for a while when Levy returned, unsure what to do with her freedom. She had tried to get Lucy to hang out with her, but they found the two of them had conflicting interests for the most part. Erza had taken off near immediately when she received news from Jellal about some happenings in Fiore. Gray and Juvia were out and about demonslaying or perhaps Juvia had managed to finally open Gray's closed off heart. Macao and Romeo were off traveling and doing various jobs. They were joined by Wakaba who was afraid of having to spend fulltime with his wife. The other members sometimes came around but many had also tried to make their way in the world, which left Levy alone at the guild for the most part.

Once she had gotten dressed, she debated making her way over to see if Lucy was interested in hanging out for a while. Levy could deal with her unsociable, sulking demeanor if it meant distracting herself from the iron dragonslayer. She packed up some books in her satchel and made her way over to the celestial mage's place. She knocked on the door, expecting to be allowed in by a gloomy Lucy. Instead, she was surprised to be greeted by a bright faced Lucy.

"Morning, Levy. I was just about to head to the café. Interested?" Lucy inquired, closing the door to her apartment behind her. Levy was thrilled at the change of pace. She accompanied the uncharacteristically glowing blond to the café.

"So why are you in such a good mood today? Did you get news from Natsu?" Levy pried, but Lucy shook her head. Her expression wavered at the mention of the fire dragonslayer, but after a moment she resorted back to a happy mood.

"I actually got a letter from Jason from Sorcerer Magazine. I have submitted a couple articles in the past, and he just got back to me about them. He says he finds me incredibly promising and would like me to work for them for a while if I was interested. He was actually hoping I would head to their headquarters within the week, since Fairy Tail has been disbanded, and shadow him for a while. I haven't really found a place to belong since the guild disbanded. My family is gone and all of my life was devoted to Fairy Tail. Now that it's not here anymore… I just haven't known what to do with myself. I'm running out of money for rent, but with the salary from the magazine, I should be able to keep my house here. Just in case, you know, the guild decides to come back together. It's an unrealistically optimistic thought. Everyone seems to have moved on besides me," Lucy sighed, and Levy blushed. _And me…_ , she thought but didn't voice out loud. She was happy for her friend but realized that Lucy heading out just meant that she would be the last remaining Fairy Tail wizard in Magnolia. Even when Lucy wasn't much of a presence, she was still there to talk to.

"That's awesome, Lucy! I'm really happy for you," Levy congratulated her, ignoring the uneasy churning of her stomach. Lucy beamed, and they entered the café. They ordered tea and pastries before taking a seat at one of the tables outside. They sat in silence for a while, enjoying the tranquility that had settled over Magnolia.

"I know I haven't left Magnolia in a while, but does it seem to you like the world is different now? Like when Fairy Tail was around, there was always some impending doom, some battle to be fought. I certainly never experienced several months of calmness. Now, everything is quiet. There is no world altering disaster. No need for heroes," Lucy mused, picking at her blueberry scone. The thought had occurred to Levy many times.

"Maybe it's like that saying, for every great power of good, there is an opposing evil of matching power. Now that Fairy Tail is gone, perhaps chaotic struggle of good and evil has been thrown back into balance," Levy theorized, and Lucy nodded thoughtfully. Lucy plopped the last bit of the pastry into her mouth before finishing her tea.

"Anyways, I'm glad you were planning on stopping by. I was just going to find you to tell you I was leaving tonight. I'll be in and out of Magnolia depending on what work I have to do. I'll write you as much as I can, though, and hopefully you'll have a chance to see my articles in the Sorcerer Magazine," Lucy explained, and Levy felt her heart drop. This would be her last day with her friend before she moved on to the next stage in her life. This would leave Levy alone to pine for past that was gone. She sighed internally, trying to keep her attitude positive for her last day in a while with her friend. They went shopping and talked and laughed for a while before Lucy left her to begin packing. Levy sulked as she made her way back to the dorms. She was irritated with herself for remaining here. She had spent too much time waiting and now she was left behind. She was still grumbling to herself as she walked back into her room, throwing herself down on her bed.

"Why do I do this to myself?" she groaned into the cool fabric. She wondered what to do now. Should she continue to wait here for Gajeel? Should she give it up and set out to find the others? Should she embrace her independence and go adventuring on her own? Should she make herself useful like Lucy or just have a ridiculously irresponsible experience like Cana? She was lost in thought as someone approached the dorms. She almost didn't hear them call out, trying to convince herself she was hearing things.

"Hello, is anyone here? Please, we need help," a familiar voice cried out, and Levy jerked up. _Could it be?_ She rushed towards the sound, disbelieving. Outside of the dorms, a figure struggled to remain upright. She opened the door and was aghast to see Panther Lily in his battle form carrying a very beat up Gajeel. He looked relieved to see her as he collapsed onto his knees, returning to his usual exceed form. Gajeel was an immobile slump next to him, and before he passed out, he told her words that would strike fear to her core. "Levy, you have to help him or he is going to die."


	2. These Unfamiliar Feelings

*** Note ***

Here's chapter 2! Enjoy

*** Chapter 2 ***

Gajeel woke up in a hazy world of pain. His entire body ached, but he was alive, which he was grateful for. He slowly opened his eyes, wondering where he was. The world was blurry, but he could make out bookshelves around him. A female was humming to herself somewhere in the room. He turned his head to the side, wincing at the flash of pain that coursed through him, and saw a blue haired angel. He would have thought he was in heaven had it not been for the immense pain that kept him immobile. She was humming to herself softly as she flipped through the pages of what he struggled to read was a medical book. _Was she the one who's been treating me?_ he wondered. She stopped on a page and left the book open as she glanced through the vials sitting on her desk. She found the couple she was looking for and began to mix them in a bowl. He deduced he must be in her room. He had never seen it, but the walls of books surrounding him pretty much confirmed it.

He watched her for a while. She was a pleasant and much appreciated distraction from the pain. He could scarcely remember the situation that led him to where he was now. He recalled the town Lily and him had visited. He was in particularly foul mood. He had been the majority of their trip. He had spent too much time without his mate, and it was affecting him negatively. Metalicana had briefly explained the relationship between a dragonslayer and his tamer, but Gajeel thought it was mostly bullshit. That is, until these past few weeks when he had been driven crazy by this pinching pain in his mind. He noted it was gone now that he was back in Magnolia.

Or at least he assumed he was. When he had collapsed, Lily had grabbed him and made a quick getaway. Before Gajeel passed out, he remembered Lily telling him something about returning to Fairy Tail. He was surprised Levy was still around. He had returned to the guild a few days after Tartarus and found it relatively empty. Makarov was picking up some of the pieces of the guild and informed him Fairy Tail has disbanded. Gajeel didn't know how to react to this information. The one good thing in his life and in a matter of days, it was gone. Gajeel asked if he had to erase his guild mark. Makarov had shrugged, informing him that nobody else had. If he joined another guild he would have to, but until then, everyone else was keeping the legacy and their memories alive.

He couldn't imagine joining another guild. He wasn't exactly the prime candidate for most light guilds based off of his past experiences and general demeanor. He was sure Quatro Puppy—or was it Cerberus? – he couldn't remember, but they may be interested in having him. However, he didn't think he could handle their antics. That left dark guilds and that one independent guild. He had left the path of darkness with Phantom Lord and had no intention of returning. For the sake of that old woman, he was going to keep heading down the right path. The independent guild with the aim to destroy darkness in the world and make up for past crimes seemed up his alley, but something about their Robin Hood nature annoyed him.

He liked the edging on antihero persona he had adopted in Fairy Tail, and he appreciated the fact that they had never tried to turn him into anything else. Nobody had expected anything else from him than what he was willing to give. That was the same expectation for everyone in the guild. For the most part, everyone in the guild was a whole bunch of broken people who had managed to find each other. Then they helped each other fix those broken pieces. He had begun to realize, throughout his time in the guild, that it had changed him as well. He did the right thing not because he was told to, but because he wanted to. He had started understanding comradery and a deep sense of protectiveness for something other than himself.

One of those things in particular was the blue-haired script mage. She didn't quite fit his previous assessment of the guild. Either her dark past and pain was a secret, or she didn't possess one and just somehow managed to wiggle her way into the throng of troubled individuals. Maybe she had an obsession with broken things? It would explain why she had been particularly interested in him when he joined the guild. Even after what he had done to her, she had treated him with kindness. Her forgiveness had led to acceptance from the others. She was the member of the guild he was the closest to, besides Juvia. Juvia had thoroughly integrated herself into the guild. She was a bit irritating with her obsession with the ice mage, but she had managed to spring free from her dark upbringings as well.

 _How far we've all come in the past year or so_ , he mused. When the guild had disbanded, he had considered seeking out Levy and her team. She would have accepted him without a second thought, but Droy and Jet would have been more hostile towards him. They were the only two who never seemed to get over the events of the past. They're possessiveness of the script mage irritated him to no end. Whenever he and Levy tried to have a conversation, they would hover in the background, their faces scrunched up in jealousy. She would have been tolerable to be on a team with. She was reasonable and competent. Her cheerleaders would have driven him up the wall, though. So, instead of looking for Levy like he secretly desired, he chose to take the lone wolf track with Lily.

Lily was the most understanding comrade he could have asked for. Even if his overly rational nature sometimes got on Gajeel's nerves, he knew the exceed was usually right. Lily was also committed to the iron dragonslayer, even if his path was the wrong one. Like the night at the bar that had led to this moment. Lily had mentioned he was edge and that they should avoid the city. Gajeel, however, was trying to secretly scout the kingdom to keep track of any trouble brewing. Things had been quiet, eerily quiet at some points. Any major dark guild activity was keeping off the radar. He didn't expect anything big this soon, since Tartarus was destroyed, the remaining Oracion Seis and Grimiore Hearts members had joined up with Crime Sorciere, and most of the smaller guilds had been disbanded through various other events throughout the past year. However, he thought to at least hear some rumors in his travels.

The events of this past altercation had little to do with dark guilds. He was just sitting at the bar, enjoying a drink and eavesdropping on those around him. One conversation between three rather rough looking gentlemen caught his attention. They proudly displayed a guild mark, but as they sat talking, they were mostly badmouthing the upper level guilds. He could care less about Blue Pegasus and Lamia Scale. However, when they started laughing about Fairy Tail, Gajeel tensed. Lily was sitting next to him in his battle form and gave him a warning look. Gajeel was going to stay out of it until one of them said some slanderous remark about certain members. He slammed his fists on the bar and turned towards them. Lily had sighed behind him, preparing for the confrontation.

The rest sort of happened in a blur. Gajeel wasn't prepared for their power, one of whom seemed to be able to null his magic. Needless to say, he got his ass kicked. He guessed those guys must have been in a dark guild or mercenary guild. If Lily hadn't grabbed him and gotten out of there when he did, Gajeel would surely be dead. The thought made him shiver, which reminded him of the pain throughout his entire Levy. Levy finished whatever she was mixing and turned towards him. She jumped in surprise at seeing him awake.

"Gajeel, how long have you been awake?" she asked, quickly scooping some of the mixture and stirring it into a cup. She walked over to him with the foul smelling substance. She scooped her hand under his head, helping him sit up a little and apologizing when he winced in pain. "Drink this. I know it smells terrible, but it should help with the pain."

He nodded slightly in acknowledgement, and she poured some into his mouth. If he thought the smell was putrid, it was nothing compared to the taste. He gagged, though managed to keep it down. He only managed to finish half the glass before he was too exhausted to continue. She set the glass on her side table and set him back on the bed. He had noted that he was covered in bandages. He must have been hurt pretty bad. He wondered how his partner was doing.

"Levy," he croaked, surprised at the dryness of his throat. She glanced into his eyes, and he paused a moment. He was stopped by the compassion reflected in them. She was truly worried about him, which threw him for a loop. Once he recovered from his shock, he continued. "Is Lily alright?"

"Yes, I settled him in one of the spare rooms," she informed him, and he sighed in relief.

"This is your room?" he asked, and she blushed.

"Yes, you needed to most immediate attention and I needed access to my books," she admitted, and he thought her blush was cute. _Wait, why was I thinking of Levy as cute?_ he wondered, and his thoughts were interrupted as she leaned over him. Her breast brushed his arm, and he felt feelings stir inside of him he hadn't felt in a while. Not since he had come back into consciousness on Tenrou to see Levy protecting him. He originally wrote it off as gratefulness, but he wondered if it was something more. As she checked over his bandages, her face scrunched up in seriousness, he found his eyes locked on her lips. He remembered those lips. "I have to run and get some new bandages and check on Lily. I'll be back in a little while. If you need anything just call out."

She turned gathering up her bag to leave when Gajeel let out a noise of protest. She paused and turned back to him with a questioning look.

"Levy, wait. I just… thank you," he told her, his voice a bit gruffer than he meant it to be, and she smiled, nodding.

"Of course. Anyone in – from – the guild would have done the same thing," she brushed off his thanks and walked out of the room. Gajeel didn't know what he had expected her to say but found himself disappointed at her words. _Anyone_. It lacked the personal touch he wanted it to possess. His irritation at her words was ridiculous, he knew this, but he couldn't shake the feeling. His thoughts traveled back to her lips. His first experience with those lips was just a few months ago, while fighting the Tartarus demons. He had been ready to give into the darkness that was swallowing him when she had swooped in like an angel and saved him, risking her own life to do it. This was her second time being his saving grace. He couldn't help but wonder if it was coincidence or something more.

He would have to make sure to thank her for now and before. He didn't mind owing the script mage. He could think of several ways he would like to repay her, starting with treating those lips of hers. His face reddened at the track his mind was taking. Where did these thoughts suddenly come from? He ignored the pain as he looked down, seeing the inevitable tenting of his pants. He wondered if he could take care of it before she got back. He tried to move his arm, but it was still unwilling. Apparently that was the only thing he could get up. _Figures,_ he sighed and stared up at the ceiling, trying to think of something else, anything else. Drowsiness settled over him, and he wondered if it was because of the concoction Levy had given him. He forgot about his unfortunate erection as he drifted off to sleep, thoughts of the blue haired mage still on his mind.


	3. Doctor's Orders

*** Note ***

Thank you all for reading! Enjoy :)

*** Chapter 3 ***

Levy returned to Gajeel with the bandages to find him asleep. She smiled to herself. He looked so peaceful in his current state, his face relaxed, calm, not scrunched up in distaste. He looked younger, softer, charmingly rather than ruggedly handsome. She admired him for several more moments before she noticed the peeking of his pants. She jerked up and blushed. _What was he dreaming about?_ She partially distracted herself by beginning to change out his bandages, avoiding his stiff region, and hummed to herself. She was nearly finished when he let out a soft sound, like an unfinished word. She leaned closer to his face to better hear what he was mumbling.

"L-Levy," he moaned breathlessly, and she drew in a sharp breath, pulling away from him. _Oh_. She couldn't much more of a coherent thought than that. She reddened, turning away from him and composing herself. _It could be a lot of things_ , she assured herself but couldn't help but recall the look in his eye after she had checked his bandages. She needed to take her mind of these ridiculous thoughts. Gajeel was her friend, and though she secretly had grown to have feelings for him, she knew they were unrequited.

She left him alone to find some busy work. She cleaned up the dorm area, scrubbing blood and dirt out of some of the floorboards, and had just finished as the mail came. She sat down at her desk and began to sort through it. Most of it was junk or jobs she would forward to either Sabertooth or Lamia Scale. They were making bank now that Fairy Tail was gone and battled for the spot of number one guild, though rumor had it they weren't even going to register for the Grand Magic Games. One of the letters was from Evergreen, who was inquiring about whether or not those remaining at the guild had heard from Elfman, and to inform them that Laxus and the others had recently found their way to Blue Pegasus. Levy was surprised at the news and tried to imagine Laxus hanging out with Ichiya and Guildmaster Bob. She couldn't do it. One of the other letters was from Warrod, but instead of being addressed to Makarov, it was to her.

 _Dear Levy,_

 _Thank you for your quick correspondence on behalf of Makarov. It is a shame that Fairy Tail has disbanded, and I am greatly saddened by the news. Jura offers his condolences as well over the loss of such a venerated, powerful guild. Though Fairy Tail is no more, I only hope that its members never stray too far from their roots, and that the values of the guild and its memory live on through your generation of mages. I have never met such an honorable and wholesome group of youngsters. I know each of you will go on to achieve great accomplishments. You have made me proud as a founding member of Fairy Tail._

 _I apologize for the late response, as the revival of the magic council has been a rather unorganized, time-consuming task. We have made leaps and bounds in progress, but there are many areas in which we are lacking. One of those areas is why I seek you out today. After the previous council was tragically torn to pieces by Tartarus, we lost many of the resources the wizarding world holds so dear, one of these being the thorough and well-kept records of the council over magic of the past and activity of the current day. Many of the ancient texts have been preserved, but their translations, which were stored in ex-chairman Crawford's archives, have been lost._

 _Thanks to Hibiki Lates of Blue Pegasus, we have managed to set up a new archiving system controlled by all of the council, but there is still a shortage of individuals qualified to translate such texts. Your name was suggested by Mest Gryder, Interim Head of the Custody Enforcement Division and previous member of Fairy Tail, and vouched for by Jura, who spoke highly of your skills as a translator and script mage. After a short debate and unanimous decision amongst council members, we would like to offer you a high ranked position in our Magical Archives Division. You would be in charge of organizing and translating ancient texts as well as assisting in documenting magical activities throughout Fiore._

 _Your skills have also been requested on a temporary basis in the Magical Defense Division as your script magic abilities are compared only to those of Freed Justine. The council could use your assistance in creating and strengthening protective wards around Fiore. Protecting our home is of an utmost priority at this day and age, especially after the less than ideal events of the past couple years. The violence and bloodshed at a level which Fiore has not experienced in nearly 4,000 years._

 _We look forward to your response and hope to welcome you to the Magic Council's elite group of wizards striving to protect the sanctity of the citizens of Fiore and purity of magic._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Warrod Sequen_

Levy's eyes widened in surprise. She would have a chance to make something of her life, like everyone else in the guild. She had been offered a job with the council, a rather authoritative position to maintain their records. It would be right up her ally, and she could already feel the excitement building at the chance to get her hands on some of the council's ancient texts. The thoughts made her exhilarated, but before she began to write out a response, she glanced back at Gajeel. Would he stick around this time or leave like before, like everyone else did?

She was hesitant until she remembered Lucy, who had been torn apart for months after Natsu abandoned her until finally she was able to move on with her life. Just because Gajeel managed to stumble back to the guild, didn't mean he was staying. He would probably leave as soon as he was healed and leave Levy alone with nothing. She would miss her golden opportunity to escape, to leave the guild as Makarov had pushed them to do, to move on with her life. She shook her head, sighing, and began to write.

 _Dear Warrod and the other members of the Magic Council,_

 _I cannot express my sincerest gratitude at the offer in enough words. It would be an honor to use my skills for the rebuilding of the Magic Council and good of all of Fiore. I look forward to working with you and the other esteemed wizards. Give my thanks to Mest and Jura for offering my name. I will be occupied for the next few weeks tying up some loose ends, but at the end of the month, I will be fully prepared to dedicate my time and efforts toward restoring the archives and the defenses of our nation. It is a shame that Fairy Tail has disbanded, but as you said, the lessons and strength that the guild has instilled in each of us will not be forgotten. Every member of our past guild has the potential for an incredibly bright future, and I look forward to starting mine._

 _With respects,_

 _Levy McGarden_

A month would give her plenty of time to further Gajeel's healing process, set up a forwarding system for the guild's mail, and gather her things for the move. As she finished up the letter and a few others, she began to feel drowsy. She yawned and realized she hadn't slept well in the past couple days. She had been too busy worrying about the dragonslayer and his exceed, and her bed has been occupied. She rubbed her eyes as days' worth of exhaustion seemed to settle over her all at once. Her vision became blurry, and she stumbled to the bed. _Need sleep_. She had given Gajeel enough of the sleeping drug to keep him out for a while. If she took a quick nap, he was unlikely to ever realize she had dozed off near him. She didn't think much about the consequences of her actions as she crawled into her bed next to him and drifted off to sleep.

Gajeel awoke and quickly realized he wasn't alone. There was a warm body next to him. He opened his eyes and glanced down to see a blue haired mage curled up at his side. He wondered what he should do, but as he watched her, he realized this was quite alright. He stretched carefully and found his limbs feeling significantly better. He didn't know what that pain medication Levy gave him had in it, but combined with his more aggressive dragonslayer healing abilities, he was feeling significantly farther from death's doorstep. He pulled the blanket around his waist up so it was covering her bare shoulders. She shifted against him, her hand snaking up to rest on his chest while she slept. He reddened but realized he enjoyed the feeling of her closeness, her intimacy. He smiled down at her before closing his eyes and falling asleep once more.

When Levy finally woke up, she felt refreshed. She stretched out before remembering that she had chosen to fall asleep in her own bed, which, for the first time, was not empty. She felt well rested, which made her wonder how long she had been out. She tensed and opened her eyes, glancing up to meet the eyes of the iron dragonslayer. She was mortified, her worst fears confirmed. How could she be so stupid? Then she noticed her hand, which was pressed affectionately against his chest. She drew in a sharp breath and quickly jumped up and off of the bed. Gajeel eyed her with amusement, and she reddened.

"I-I'm sorry, I must have fallen asleep," she stammered, trying to organize her thoughts, to justify any reason as to why she had been sharing a bed with her patient. Gajeel seemed only more amused at her embarrassment.

"It's alright. You probably worked tirelessly until you made sure Lily and I were healed. It only makes sense that you would pass out eventually. First time I ever woke up with my nurse in my bed, though," he teased her. While she was still horrified at what she had done, his words did make her feel better, even if they did imply some wicked things. She quickly changed back into doctor mode though as she stepped forward to address his injuries.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, and he moved his limbs, stretching once again cautiously.

"Significantly better. Whatever you did worked well with my dragon slayer abilities to improve my healing process. I should be good as new in a few days," he explained, and she was surprised. She was familiar with some of the legend of dragonslayer, like their unique reactions to magic and their heightened stamina, but she didn't know their healing abilities were _that_ good. Then she realized that if he had only a few days left until he was ready to go back out into the world, her month cushion for starting at the Magic Council might be too long. But Lily would not be able to heal as fast as Gajeel, though, so he'd probably stick around longer for that. Speaking of Lily…

"I should probably go check on Lily. I don't know how long I've been out or if he's waken up yet," she informed Gajeel, who immediately started trying to sit up.

"Oh, I'd really like to see him as well," he began, but she put her hands up to stop him.

"No! You have to stay in bed. Doctor's orders," she insisted, and he paused before nodding and lying back. "I'll give you an update in a few. I'll also come back with some food, since you're probably starving."

He gave her an appreciative smile, and she left him alone. He was starving and as he moved, he realized he still had a bit of ways to go in the healing process. He wasn't about to argue with the girl who had put extensive time and energy into helping him out. He wondered why Levy was personally seeing to his care. He didn't know if others had stuck around the guild, but she was the only one he had seen. He remembered Makarov, when he announced the guild was disbanding, demanding they all get out of Magnolia, get lives, move on. Had everyone else gone? If so, why had Levy remained? He knew she had left for a few weeks, but why had she chosen to return? Did fate happen to line up their meetings or had she settled down here once again?

It was disheartening for him to think of her living here all by herself. Had he known, he would have returned much sooner. He hadn't seen anything or heard from Droy or Jet. If they had been around, they certainly would have made their presence known when they caught the two of them sleeping together. He thought back to the feeling of her body pressed against his. It was nice. Very nice. Gajeel glanced around, trying to get a feel for Levy's life from his surroundings. Her room mostly consisted of books, not surprising. On the other side of the room there was the desk, where she made the concoction to help him heal, and a nook where she probably spent hours of her life curled up with a good book.

He could imagine her there, flipping through pages slowly, studying each one carefully. It was her leisure reading, when she wasn't on a time crunch. She would slowly soak in each page, drink in every word, and relish in the combined meaning. He often watched her when she sat at the guild with a book in her hands. She had this glow to her, this air around her of contentment. Her eyes were wide in anticipation as she chewed on her bottom lip absentmindedly. She was completely oblivious to the world around her, so absorbed in one literary masterpiece after anyone. That was probably one of the things he liked most about her. She had the ability to be silent, unlike most of the other members of the guild.

She was the only person he could imagine spending extended periods of time with, her lost in a fictional world and him in his lost. He adored her in his own way. Of course, she would never feel the same way about him. She was soft and kind, while he was rough and rude. She was tame and calm while he was wild and antsy. They were practically opposites. Levy had probably never harmed an innocent soul, while his hands were thoroughly soiled with the blood of innocents. She was so pure, so noble, so caring. He didn't deserve her. His mind drifted back to their first meeting. When he, blinded by an agenda not his own, bloodied up her and her companions, leaving them chained to a tree like animals. He was an animal—no, he was a monster. He often found himself racked with guilt at what he had done. Levy had never harbored any ill feelings towards him, but he knew deep down she thought what everyone else did. No matter what he did to make up for it, it would never be enough. Even if she forgave him, he would never forgive himself.

As a distraction, he reached out onto her nightstand and grabbed the first book off the pile. It was a book of old stories, tales passed down for hundreds of years, since the time of the dragons. He felt an aching in his heart at the remembrance of the dragons… _Metalicana_. His last words were shit, _"You've still got that vulgar look into your eye,"_ but it was the closest thing to 'I love you' the two of them could manage. Just as Gajeel's sullen look was the closest thing to indifference he could manage. That is, until he thought of Levy. As if on cue, the door to her room opened, and she stepped inside. She was humming to herself as she carried a tray of sandwiches. She glanced over at him and paused she saw the book in his hands. He quickly set it back down on the table.

"Sorry, uh, I was just curious," he mumbled, and she smiled, approaching him.

"It's alright. It's a pretty good book. My favorite short story is inside of that book," she explained, setting the tray down to help him up into a sitting position. Once she had him propped up, she set the tray in his lap. The meal was surprisingly well put together. He was surprised she had time to make this in the short time she was gone. "Ergh, before you get the wrong idea, I didn't make it. I grabbed it from town real quick. Also, Lily is doing fine. Can't move much, but he'll survive at least. I gave him some more medicine, and he went out like a light."

"You didn't have to go through all this trouble for the food, I'm not very picky. I'll eat anything you cook for me," Gajeel insisted, and Levy blushed, tucking hair behind her ear uncomfortably.

"Well… um… I kind of can't cook," she stammered, and his eyes widened as he paused as he was about to take a bite.

"You, Levy McGarden, can't cook?" he sputtered, and she darkened. He couldn't stop the laughter that spilled over, despite the pain in his chest at the action. Levy felt heat rising in her core, both at him using her full name and his teasing.

"Droy usually does the cooking when we're out on missions and otherwise I get food from the guild or Lucy… I've never needed to cook," she protested, and Gajeel couldn't deny it made sense. Gajeel didn't mind the new information. He was secretly a cooking extraordinaire himself. It was one of the many talents he had picked up in the years before joining Fairy Tail. While nothing truly compared to the taste of pure iron through hardened to perfection, he couldn't deny the appeal of a well-prepared dish. He had never revealed this skill to anyone in the guild but Lily, who had pledged his eternal allegiance to the dragonslayer after trying his smoked salmon for the first time.

"It's alright, shorty. Such a situation can easily be remedied," he assured her and began digging into his food. She sat next to him patiently, unsure of what to do with herself while he ate. He motioned towards her pile of books. "Why don't you read it to me?"

"R-read what?" she inquired, and he took a moment to swallow.

"Read your favorite story to me," he urged, and she blushed again. She was hesitant, but as his encouragement, she caved and picked up the book, flipping to a bookmarked page.

"Fine, but it's an old romance story, about a princess and a dragon," she introduced, before clearing her throat and beginning. "Once upon a time, there lived a powerful warrior princess named Eliza. She defeated many men, beast, and demon in her day. She was as beautiful and elegant as she was powerful. Her father, the king, wanted her to settle down with a man and give him an heir to the throne. However, though she tried, she could never could a man who suited her fancy. She first sought out a mate amongst the single lords of the kingdom but found them too tame, too domesticated. She needed someone who's fierceness and strength matched her own. She sought a mate throughout the armies but found these men were mindless and bloodthirsty. She needed a man of a class and intelligence. She searched far and wide but came up empty that is until she heard a vicious roar echoing through the mountains.

"She thought it was another beast waiting to be slain, perhaps a dragon who escaped the unforgiving hand of Acnologia. She had never had the chance to fight a dragon but had dreamed of it her whole life. Her blade, an ancient magical item that strengthened with every life it had taken, had long thirsted for the blood of a dragon. She quickly responded to its call. However, when she reached the source of the noise, she found not a dragon, but a man. He spewed a purple fire as he collapsed to his knees in pain. She rushed to his aid, but he immediately attacked her. He was the most powerful creature she had ever fought. He was wild, seemingly possessed by a beast. He eventually overpowered her, but instead of killing her, he confessed his deep love for her.

"The princess was dumbfounded by his revelation but could not deny her attraction to a man such as himself. She soon learned that he was truly a half man, half beast named Dagon, the latter of which often tried to overtake him. He had the form of the man, but the strength and wisdom of the dragons. They stayed in the mountains for several days, becoming lovers, and she tamed the beast within him. When they returned to the kingdom, they were soon wed, much to the king's joy as he had become very ill recently. After the king passed, they ruled over the kingdom and fostered many years of prosperity and happiness throughout. The queen was very much in love with her mate and grew incredibly jealous.

"One day she caught wind of a powerful witch in the kingdom who desired her king and was planning on over throwing the kingdom. The queen was livid and personal sought out the witch in order to vanquish. She was not prepared for the power of the witch, though, whose tricks were ruthless. The king, which sensed her distress, quickly rushed to her aid. The witch planned to capture the king, but in defense of his lover, the king released the beast within him. He destroyed the witch but not before she cursed the queen. The queen managed to calm the beast into the man once again, and they returned to the kingdom.

"After the scare, the king and queen decided to have a child to take over the thrown once they passed. However, they soon learned that the witch had cursed the queen to be barren. They searched tirelessly for a way to reverse the curse, but the king soon fell ill with a plague that had infected the kingdom. Healers worked tirelessly, but the king did not survive, and the kingdom fell into ruin. The queen, after hearing the news, went into her chambers and pierced herself with her own blade. However, much to her dismay, she learned she was also cursed with immortality. She fled the kingdom in her distress and was never seen again, though it is rumored that she still walks the earth dazedly looking for any sort of peace she can find. The End."

"That didn't have a happy ending at all! You call that a good romance story?" Gajeel protested, awestruck by the utterly terrible ending, and she shrugged.

"Happy endings aren't realistic, especially not in some of the greatest romances in history. Romana and Julius, one of the most praised romances ever written, the lovers committed suicide with each other through a miscommunication. In the forbidden romance of Giovanni and Lacy, the two lovers were killed by Giovanni's wife, Queen Arianna, and condemned to spend eternity rotting in the second circle of hell," she recalled, and he was thoroughly flustered, both by the story and her cynicism at the thought of love. He had only read a few books in his time, but he thought they would fill her thoughts will unrealistic expectations of romance, not the opposite. "Are you disappointed?"

"No, just surprised," he admitted, and she laughed softly.

"Well, there you go. The story of Eliza, the princess, and Dagon, the dragon man," she concluded and set the book back on the pile.

"Dagon sounds like a dragonslayer of the olden days," Gajeel noted, and Levy paused. She had considered that herself many times. She often wondered if that was the root of her fascination with the story, since her own fancy lied with a dragonslayer. However, she did not respond to Gajeel's inquiry. She rose to her feet and stretched. She needed to run the letters to the postman's office and run a few more errands before it got too late in the day. She gave him another dose of his medicine, much to his distaste before preferring to leave.

"I have to go take care of some things. I'll be back in probably an hour or so. Anything you need before I head out?"

"Maybe if you have a book with a happy ending, otherwise I'll be fine," he told her, and she smirked. She perused her shelves until grabbing a book.

"You may like this one. It's the strong of a powerful wizard who fought a great evil to free his kingdom. It has a happy ending, don't worry," she mused, tossing him the book. He grumbled a thank you as she left him and settled back, losing himself in the story. When she returned several hours later, he was engrossed in the story. She smiled at his intense concentration as he flipped through the pages. She grabbed a story off her shelf and curled up on her nook. Gajeel closed the book with a deeper appreciation for literature. It was certainly a better story than the first that Levy had introduced him to. Good defeated evil, the guy got the girl, in the end everyone was happy. Levy yawned a few minutes later and shut her book.

"Now that was a good romance story," Gajeel informed her, and she scoffed lightheartedly.

"It's not a bad story, but it's so… predictable," she struggled to find the last word, and Gajeel shrugged, laying back on the bed.

"Maybe, but that to me is a more realistic story. I mean, come on, you're a member of Fairy Tail—or was, sorry—you can't possibly expect me to believe you don't find the good guys winning and living happily ever after to be believable," he exclaimed after a moment, and she grimaced.

"I mean, yes, we have won in the end, but there's always another evil, more powerful than the next waiting around the corner. We don't get a happily ever after. There's always the next villain that rises out of the ashes of the last. We don't get to settle down, to fall in love. We're condemned to a life of Eliza and Dagon's, fighting until our last breath," she confessed, and he was shocked by her words once again. He was disgruntled by her lack of faith. What had happened to her to cause her to have such negative feelings towards love? Towards fairy tales? He didn't think more about it, though, when he saw her fighting off drowsiness.

"You ready for bed?" he asked, and she nodded, rubbing her eyes and yawning once more. He decided to step out on a limb. "Well, the bed's open. I don't mind. I am encroaching on your space anyways."

"Oh, I'm really fine here," she protested, but he gave her a look, motioning for her to join him. She blushed, biting her lip in hesitation.

"Don't make me come over there," he growled, and she jumped onto her feet. She walked over to him and quickly crawled in it, curling up at his side once again. He was pleased that it actually worked. She quickly succumbed to sleep, and he drifted off soon after, satisfied at the warm body snuggled against his side.

The next morning Gajeel woke to find the spot next to him unoccupied. He glanced over to see Levy sorting through some papers and scribbling notes down.

"What are you up to?" he asked, stretching and finding little soreness in his limbs. He sat up and continued working out the stiffness in his body. Levy paused and glanced back towards him.

"Just going through the guild mail. I've been sort of keeping up with this stuff ever since everyone else took off," she explained, and he stared at her.

"Have you been here all by yourself?" he inquired, and she became flustered. Was he critical of her actions? Did he believe her pathetic for remaining?

"Well, I… uh… Lucy was here was a while but she left about a week ago. Wendy has been in and out, but I just got word from her that she officially joined Lamia Scale," she stammered, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Why'd you stick around?" He couldn't help the tightening in his chest in anticipation for her response. Her face darkened in a blush, and she struggled for words.

"I hadn't figured out what to do so I've been smoothing out the transition of the guild into nothingness. Jobs need to be forwarded to other guilds and someone needs to answer the correspondences. Then you showed up at the doorstep and so I've been managing your care," she muttered, and he felt a wave of disappointment at her words. They made sense. He didn't know what he was hoping for. He nodded at her before swinging his legs off the bed. "Hey, are you sure you're up for that?"

"My muscles are aching to get out of bed. Plus someone should make us breakfast," he mused, and her eyes widened. He realized he had just volunteered to show Levy his cooking abilities. Not that he minded. He was jumping internally at the chance to impress her with his cooking. She rushed forward to help him as he rose shakily to his feet. The first couple steps were the hardest, but he was soon able to walk on his own, even if it was with a limp. She led him to the kitchen, stopping at Lily's room to give him a chance to look over his companion. Lily was still worse for wear, but Levy assured him he still looked much better than he had when he had stumbled in with Gajeel. Once in the kitchen, Gajeel was in his element. He knew just what to make.

"What do you need?" she asked.

"Eggs, milk, and flour to start off," he informed her, and she pointed to the fridge.

"Eggs and milk are in there. I'll get the flour," she offered, and he nodded. She immediately regretted the decision though, as she opened the cupboard and stared up at the sack on the top shelf. She reached up on her tiptoes, but it was just out of reach. She bit down on her bottom lip as she stretched. _So close._

"Don't strain yourself, shrimp," Gajeel cautioned as he came up behind her, grabbing the sack of flour off the shelf. She couldn't deny the acceleration of her heart beat at his proximity behind her but grimaced at his use of the word _shrimp_. It annoyed her, and that's why he did it.

"Do you enjoy making fun of my height?" Levy hissed, whirling towards him with a sour look, and he chuckled. She was no more volatile than an angry kitten. He found it adorable.

"I wish I could make fun of your height, but there's no height to make fun of," he teased her, an amused twinkle in his eye, and she sulked. His eyes locked on her pouted bottom lip. He wanted to grab it between his teeth, to ravage her lips with his own. These thoughts stirred something within him that he knew would only spell trouble. He would never be able to concentrate with her in the room. He grabbed her, wrapping his arm around her waist and carrying her out of the kitchen. He ignored the protest of his limbs.

"Gajeel! What are you doing?" she squealed, struggling against his grip, and he gritted his teeth.

"I can't work in these conditions," he grunted and set her in front of her room. She stared up at him incredulously.

"I-I don't understand," she stammered. He stared down at her, wondering how he could approach the subject, but decided better of it.

"Levy, just do what you're told for once and stay," he warned. She pouted in front of her room, but he ignored her as he went back to the kitchen to make them food. He couldn't understand what was wrong with him. He was usually always in control, but something about the bluenette was sparking some desire deep inside of him. He was worried what would happen if he lost control for even just a moment. He feared he might become the monster hidden deep within him once again. He had promised himself he would never become that in front of her ever again.


	4. I Just Don't Want to Hurt You

*** Note ***

I'm a day late. Sorry. But I was drunk writing last night and it turned into a mess. That I spent today straightening out. But I'm done now. Hopefully, it somewhat makes sense. If not, I'll blame it on the hangover. (is irresponsible human being) :P Just as an FYI, I'm putting everything on a publishing schedule. The full schedule is available on my profile, but **this fic will be updated every first and third Saturday of each month.** Which means the next chapter won't be published until April first. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy :)

*** Chapter 4 ***

Levy was, in short, confused. One minute they're bonding and playful, and the next he's closed off and distancing himself. Literally. She recalled the way he glanced down at her bottom lip hungrily, a wild gleam in his eye. She had wondered—hoped—that he would give in to the urge. She was hardly afraid of him, but instead deeply aroused by his attentions. She stood in her room for a moment before deciding to attend to Lily. She grabbed her kit and went to sit with him.

His recovery has been much slower than Gajeel's. He managed to stumble into guild from wherever they had been, which reminded her she had never been informed what exactly happened with the two of them, but he didn't have the benefit of dragonslayer healing. He had been unconscious ever since he told her to save Gajeel's life. His vital signs had been stable, though, so she was confident he would make a feel recovery. She entered the room he was staying in, a miscellaneous guest room, to find him awake.

"Lily!" she greeted him, and he smiled at her weakly. She rushed to his side. "How are you feeling? I have something for the pain here."

She poured some of the medicine and helped prop him up to drink it. His face scrunched up similarly to Gajeel's, but he managed to keep it all down.

"Thank you," he coughed once he finished, and she began to check his bandages. He noted the brightness of her eyes. She didn't look worried. His companion's condition couldn't have been too bad. "How is Gajeel?"

"Up and walking," she informed him, and he gawked. "It's that dragonslayer healing powers. Which, unfortunately, you do not possess. However, you're awake now, which is progress in my opinion!"

"Fair enough. Thank you for taking care of us, Levy. I was thankful someone remained at the guild and pleasantly surprised that it was you."

Levy blushed and shrugged. "I went out for a while, but it didn't really hit me that the guild was gone. This has been my home ever since I was a child, and I just didn't have anywhere else to go. What have you and Gajeel been up to?"

"Have you not spoken much with him?" The exceed inquired and Levy reddened deeper.

"Well, we talked about a few different things, but he never really explained where you guys have been or how you got injured. Guess I never thought to ask," she admitted, and Lily nodded.

"Well, we've been just wandering around. Gajeel has been trying to keep track of any dark guild activity in Fiore. We were on our way back here when a mercenary guild was badmouthing Fairy Tail.

"Geez, you guys. You could have died," she chastised him, and he nodded in agreement, his gaze somber.

"If you hadn't been here, I'm sure we would have. Has Gajeel been polite and appreciative?" Lily asked.

"Of course," she stammered, recalling his longing glances and the warm of his body against her. She flushed at the memories and hope he didn't notice.

"So Levy, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" Levy bit her lip in hesitation. What could he possibly want to ask that was personal? After sensing her hesitation, he continued. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"All right, shoot."

"Do you have feelings for Gajeel?" Her eyes widened, and she immediately blushed a dark red. Was it obvious? Could he read her thoughts? Did Gajeel know? Could she trust Lily? Of course she could. She sighed.

"Yes," she confessed, and the exceed smiled.

"I thought so. Gajeel is going to be too dense to say anything, but I know he has feelings for you as well," Lily informed her, and she gave him a look.

"Why are telling me this?"

"Because I know he will never act on his own, but he's been miserable the past few months without you. He would never admit it, of course, because he's a stubborn dumbass, but he wanted to seek you out. I wanted to tell you now because he would never tell you any of this, but the fact that we came back to this guild, that we found each other even after the guild has disbanded, I think it's time that one of you took the leap. Of course, it's up to you, Levy, but I'm imploring you to make the first move. Gajeel never will, though he'll always want to and resent himself for it."

Levy stayed quiet for a few seconds after he spoke. She couldn't believe what she heard but was elated. Gajeel had feelings for her? Lily spent all his time with the dragonslayer. He would know better than anyone. She smiled at the thought. His actions the past few days had definitely supported to idea that he had more than platonic feelings for her. Could she actually manage the words, though?

"Are you sure he likes me?" she asked, and the exceed nodded.

"Gajeel likes you, I know it," he affirmed, and she smiled.

"I may do this then. If I work up the courage," she confirmed, and he smiled. _They should call me Matchmaker Pantherlily. Take that Master Shipper, Happy. At least my ships become a reality_.

Levy caught Lily up on the progress of everyone else from the guild, or at least the ones she kept track of. They were interrupted a little while later by a soft knock on the door.

"Laxus joined Blue Pegasus?" Gajeel asked incredulously from the doorway. Levy turned towards him he smiled. He blushed under her adoring look. He cleared his throat and his voice became gruffer. "Uh… well… breakfast is ready. It's nice to see you awake, Lily."

The exceed nodded in greeting and the exchange made Levy laugh. Though Gajeel was probably incredibly relieved to see his friend doing well, he would never let it show. _No wonder Lily was wondered Gajeel would never come clean about his feelings_. Lily just returned the same attitude Gajeel gave him. They were two perfect companions. Levy rose to her feet, waving good bye to Lily as Gajeel led the way to the kitchen. Levy's heart beat rapidly with every step. Would she really do this? Gajeel had prepared a well varied meal and set the table nicely. They sat across from each other and were silent as they dug in. Levy gave Gajeel a pile of iron to enjoy with his meal, since they were in short supply at the guild. Gajeel hoped she would start off some conversation while she was lost in deep thought over how to tell the man of her dreams about her true feelings. Was it always this hard?

Once they finished the food, Levy offered to help him clean up. She washed the dishes while he dried. She couldn't deny the jolts of electricity when their hands accidentally brushed or lingering stares while she worked. She may be shy, but she's not oblivious. When she finished the last dish, she turned towards Gajeel. She was going to do it. She was going to tell him how she felt. She could imagine Lily cheering her on, and it gave her courage.

"Gajeel, there's something I need to tell you," she blurted, and he paused, turning towards her. He slung the towel over his shoulder and she gulped. He was very good looking like this. He eyes urged her to continue and she took a deep breath to attempt to calm her furiously beating heart. "I like you." She paused and he became completely immobile. His expression didn't change. He just stared at her in surprise. "I've had feelings for you for a while, since before you volunteered to help me in the S-class competition. I know at first I may have seem… less than friendly… but we both have come so far since then. You have become a part of the guild and grown to value and protect your guildmates as nakama. I have admired you for your strength and loyalty for a while. Even more so, I have fallen for you. You may put up the untouchable facade, but I have seen many sides of you since you joined the guild, and I have learned to love them all... so yeah, that's how I feel."

She reddened once she finished. She had thrown the ball into his court. There was a moment of silence as he processed everything. _She liked him_. It was strange. How could she? She must be confused. After everything he's done, she couldn't possibly. He didn't know what kind of fantasies she was drawing up. But he was not the guy for her. She often reminded him of the horrible person he used to be. How could she not see that in him? He couldn't let him be around her. He couldn't control himself around her. For her own sake, he wouldn't be with her. She deserved so much better.

"Levy, listen, it's not that I don't like hanging out with you, and I consider you a good friend, but…" he paused to search for words and her face fell. She was mortified. He didn't feel the same way.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry, I just thought, forget I said anything." She whirled and dashed away from him. She had to escape before the tears began to fall.

"I just don't want to hurt you," Gajeel mumbled to himself as he watched the bluenette disappeared around the corner. He stuffed his face into his hands. His chest was aching. _Ugh, what have I done?_

Levy didn't stop until she had slammed and locked the door to her room behind her. ' _Gajeel likes you, I know it_.' _Dammit, Lily. Tell that to my broken heart. How could I be so foolish?_ She paced back in her room, tears running down her cheeks. She had made a complete fool of herself. Had she analyzed everything wrong? Perhaps his feelings had only been platonic. I mean, she cuddled with Lucy and Cana all the time. But they had never looked at her lips longings. They had never moaned her name in their sleep. Perhaps these moments were figments of her imagination or exaggerated memories. She wanted Gajeel to like her so she convinced herself her did.

"So stupid," she sobbed, pressing her head against her bookshelf, breathing in the calming scent of books. How could she face him after this? She couldn't. Someone had to take care of him and Lily, but if she made enough of the potion and left instructions, they should manage on their own. She could use this opportunity to begin the moving process. She could leave tonight to go scope for a place to live near the magic council headquarters. Once she found one, she could make arrangements to have her stuff moved and start buying furniture. Lucy was nearby so she could stay with her over the night. Yes, she wouldn't encounter Gajeel. Not at least for a while. After her heart healed. She was able to keep her emotions at bay as she got into the mode of business. She down with her medical books and began writing out instructions for the two of them. She made more of the medicinal potion and gathered everything up. Nearly an hour later, Levy walked into Lily's room, and he glanced over at her in anticipation. At her post cry look, his expression turned dark.

"What did that idiot do?"

"It's fine, Lily. We were just misled. He doesn't feel that way about me."

"Bullshit! Help me out of this bed so I can go beat some sense into that idiot."

"No, Lily, you are to stay in bed. It's really fine, Lily. I'll be fine after a little time. It's really a shame, though. I was so hopefully," she broke off and turned away from the exceed as her eyes stung.

"Levy, I assure you. He has feelings for you," Lily tried to reassure her, but she just gave him a half hearted smile.

"No matter, Lily. I'm leaving soon. I prepared all your medicine and instructions for taking care of you. Everything will be alright. I'm going to work for the Magic Council so I'll just lose myself in some ancient texts and will soon forget this ever happened. I would like you to write to me still, though. Visit me once in a while," she explained, and Lily still looked rabid, but he nodded. "Good bye Lily. It was nice to see you again, but I wish we had more time to spend with one another."

"Good bye Levy. You are truly a remarkable woman." She said nothing as she left him alone, heading back to her room to finish packing. Tears marred her vision and she had to pause every once in a while to have a good cry before getting back to work. Best to get all these emotions out sooner rather than later. When she starts her new job, she would need to be focused.

When he saw her walk from Lily's room, Gajeel decided to visit his companion. He had been pacing the floor kitchen for the past hour. He thought some iron would help him clear his head, but her signature heart had only brought him sadness. He felt something warm inside of him when he considered her words, but horror when he remembered his reaction to them. _She loves me_. But he was an idiot and refused to put any thought into his response. He knew why he was hesitant, but it was not because he didn't have feelings for her. His past couple months without her on top of the aching in his chest was evidence enough. He has never considered it before, but he knew Lily often teased him about. That was gave him the idea to seek out the exceed for advice.

When he walked into the room, he was immediately greeted by a flying object smacking him in the face. He covered his throbbing head while dodging more projectiles.

"Lily, what are you-"

"Gajeel! You idiot! I know you're daft but this is a whole new level. After that girl bared her soul to you! As soon as I am able to move out of this bed, I will be putting you in a world of hurt!" the exceed shouted at him, and Gajeel took it without argument. He certainly deserved it. Levy must have confided in his companion as well. Had she consulted him before admitting her feelings? How long have her and Lily been in communications about this?

"I know," was all Gajeel said when Lily paused for a breath. Lily stopped throwing things and motioned for Gajeel to sit next to him. Gajeel warily took the seat before Lily collapsed back in exhaustion. Gajeel noted new pools of blood showing through his bandages. He must have reopened some words in his rage. There was a moment of silence before Gajeel spoke. "I screwed up. I think I might have feelings for Levy."

"Of course you do, you idiot. It's been obviously to me since I first met you. You may be strong, Gajeel, but you're pretty dense sometimes. You broke that girl's heart and you better fix it or I'll never speak to you again. She's heading on the road in a little while and-"

"She's leaving!" Gajeel cried, rising to his feet. His heart raced and he needed to see you.

"Yes, now go stop her. Tell her how you feel," Lily urged, but Gajeel was hesitant.

"Lily… what if I… what if I hurt her again?" Lily's eyes widened at Gajeel's words. Gajeel was rarely open with the exceed, and this side of him was new.

"What do you mean?"

"You are familiar with the first experience I ever had with this guild. Back when I was a member of Phantom Lord. I was a monster. I was cruel. I hurt her. I will never forget the look of fear in her eyes when I first saw her after that. She was the one who made me realize how wrong I was, how much better I needed to be. I never want to hurt her again…" he trailed off, rubbing his neck in embarrassment.

"Gajeel, I think this is something you should be telling Levy, not me. But my words of wisdom? The fact that she's admitted these feelings for you is a sign that you have been forgiven, that she doesn't blame you for that traumatic experience. You must know inside that you are a much different person than you were back then. You changed into the man that Levy loves. If you wanted to keep from hurting her, you've really done a piss poor job if I can be quite honest with you. You've broken her heart. Now stop punishing yourself and bringing her down with you. Go stop her," Lily encouraged and Gajeel nodded.

The exceed had a way with words and always knew the right things to say. Gajeel left his companion alone and made his way down to Levy's room. Inside he could hear the thump of books being piled and moved. He stopped outside her room and raised his hand to knock on her door. Nerves got the best of him, though, and instead of knocking, he began pacing in front of her door. What was he going to say to her? He ran his hand through his hair. _Oh Levy, how do I possible find the words to express my feelings_? She had worried it elegantly, but he was not a worshipper of words as she was. Not only did he have to come up with his words of confession, but also an apology and an explanation for why he had not managed the words to describe his true feelings.

He was still lost in thought when the door to her room opened and she walked out with a suitcase. She was leaving already?

"Levy! Where are you going?" Gajeel asked. Her face was flushed and her eyes were red rimmed as she looked up at him, struggling to keep her face strong. It broke his heart. He needed to tell her. He needed to tell her how he felt before he lost her for good.

"I was offered a position with the Magic Council as a recordkeeper. You and Lily are to a point where you can care for yourselves. On that note, I'll be off," she explained, her voice sharp. Gajeel clenched his fists to hide the shaking in his hands. She was leaving him. She was going to leave him behind. He had screwed everything up. He needed to confess the truth. Now.

"Levy, I-" he began, but she put her hand up to stop him. Her jaw was set as she fought her internal turmoil to maintain composure.

"Gajeel, no, don't worry about it. I was foolish. It's my fault-"

"Levy, stop talking."

"- not your fault I'm leaving. I am leaving for selfish reasons but you and Lily will be fine-"

"Levy, please stop talking."

"I can't believe my own stupidity, thinking that you could possibly. I'm so silly…"

Gajeel needed to stop her in her rambling. She wasn't listening. _Dammit Levy_. To silence her, he grabbed her and pulled her against him. He leaned down and captured her lips against his. She froze as he kissed her, her entire body tense in surprise. _Gajeel_. She leaned into the kiss, and he pulled her tighter against him. He drew in a sharp breath and deepened the kiss. Her lips parted in in surprise as he pushed her back against the wall, pinning her hands above her hand as he pressed against her. Her tongue brushed his bottom lip and he groaned.

Gajeel's head was spinning as he drew away from her. _Damn. That was unexpected_. His entire body felt the aftermath of that kiss. He stared into her admiring eyes as they both caught their breaths. _Good, she's quiet. Now I can maybe get a word out..._

"Listen to me, Levy McGarden. I have feelings for you, too. I'm just... I'm afraid. Of this. I've been alone most of my life. I don't know how to… I don't know how to be right for you. I never want to hurt you again," Gajeel trailed off, his voice breaking. Levy recalled how they had first met. But that was a different Gajeel than the one standing before her today. That Gajeel had been alone, desperate to belong in a guild of shady characters. This Gajeel had a family, friends, those who loved him, and he tried so desperately to right the wrongs of his past. She smiled at him.

"You have nothing to be afraid of, Gajeel. I know you won't hurt me," she assured him and leaned in for another kiss, which he hungrily obliged. He released her hands, which she twisted up into his hair, as he grabbed her hips. He noted the difference in their sizes as their lips moved against one another. She was small in every way he was large. She totally was a shrimp. _His shrimp_. Her core brushed his and he growled deep in his throat, pinning her hips with his and allowing her to feel his hardening erection. She moaned, and he felt his control dwindling. She was making it incredibly difficult to reign in his true desires. How could this bluenette turn his thoughts and reason to mush? His thoughts disappeared as he got lost in the wonders of her mouth.


End file.
